


The End of Us

by Sauronix



Series: Nix's Tumblr Fics [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Breakup Fic, Explicit Language, Flash Fic, M/M, Post-Game, Post-breakup, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 21:17:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13532727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sauronix/pseuds/Sauronix
Summary: Ignis licks his dry lips, suddenly unsure of what to say. If only he’d thought to rehearse the call—but then, he never imagined speaking to Gladio could be so difficult. “When are you coming home?”“I ain’t coming home, Ignis.”The tightness in his chest creeps upward, closing his throat. He swallows twice, hard, fighting back the tears that prick his scarred eyes. Surely they can sort this out. Surely Gladio won’t be angry with him forever.A flash fic in response to the prompt "things you said after it was over."





	The End of Us

**Author's Note:**

> This was in response to the prompt "things you said after it was over" on [my Tumblr](https://sauronix.tumblr.com/). (One of these days I'll write something nice...) Thanks to Atropa for giving me the idea for this one!

Three days after Gladio put his key on the counter and walked out the door, Ignis tries to call him. It breaks his pride to do it. In all the years they spent together, they’ve had many arguments, over matters both significant and small, but they stuck together in spite of them. He thought Gladio would come home after having time to cool off, or at least send a text to say he wanted to talk.

But Gladio did none of those things.

And Ignis can’t stand the silence any longer.

The phone rings seven times before Gladio picks up.

“Yeah?” he grunts.

“Gladio,” Ignis says. He thought hearing Gladio’s voice would calm his pattering heart, but if anything, it does the opposite. The heat in his cheeks is almost feverish. “I’ve been worried. Where are you?”

There’s a brief silence before Gladio responds, “What does it matter?”

Something in Ignis’s chest clenches. “I suppose it doesn’t, as long as you’re safe.” He licks his dry lips, suddenly unsure of what to say. If only he’d thought to rehearse the call—but then, he never imagined speaking to Gladio could be so difficult. “When are you coming home?”

“I ain’t coming home, Ignis.”

The tightness in his chest creeps upward, closing his throat. He swallows twice, hard, fighting back the tears that prick his scarred eyes. Surely they can sort this out. Surely Gladio won’t be angry with him forever.

Surely he’ll come home someday.

“Why not?” he asks, when he has himself under control.

“You know why.” The line goes silent for a measure of seconds, and Ignis thinks, his guts churning themselves into knots, that Gladio has ended the call. But then he adds, “You lied to me. For years. You think I’m just gonna forgive that? Act like everything's okay?”

“Gladio, I—”

“All those times I pushed Noct to do his duty, and you never once thought to tell me the truth about his fate. Fuck, Ignis, do you have any idea how that feels? To know I pushed him toward his death, and worse, that he knew it too?”

“He didn’t know—”

“Not in Cartanica or Tenebrae, no, but after,” Gladio snaps. “I can’t stop wondering if he sat across from me at that campfire thinking about what an asshole I am. I sure as hell feel like one.” Gladio’s voice breaks, and perhaps Ignis imagines it, but it sounds like he sniffles on the other end of the line. “And you didn’t trust me enough to say something. That’s the part that hurts the worst, y’know?”

“I wish I had said something,” Ignis murmurs. “I only wanted to protect you.”

“I’m not a kid. I don’t need your goddamn protection.”

“Gladio, please.” Ignis bites his lip. He isn’t above begging, not if it will salvage his relationship with the last living person who matters to him. “I love you.”

“Sorry,” Gladio says roughly. Ignis can hear the shuddering intake of his breath. “We’re done.”

And the line goes dead.


End file.
